America’s Most Famous Pitmasters Headline Release Day
In many ways, wine and barbecue are the ultimate slow foods. Each demands care, preparation and, most of all, time.
On February 4, 2023, Texas meets California in Wine Country for a one-day-only barbecue collaboration between two of America’s most famous pitmasters: Leonard Botello IV of Houston’s critically acclaimed TRUTH BBQ and Burt Bakman of Los Angeles’ SLAB BBQ. The never-before culinary experience pairs renowned bites of brisket and ribs with our new 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Although you won’t typically find Silver Oak in barbecue joints, there’s no denying that our Cabernet with smoked meat is an outstanding pairing,” says Silver Oak Proprietor and CEO David R. Duncan. “We look forward to welcoming Leonard and Burt to Oakville and honoring two all-American crafts—Silver Oak and barbecue.”
Fire up the offset smokers for a Release Day first, and grab your tickets today.
Barbecue Legends
Meet the Pitmasters
Leonard Botello IV
Leonard Botello IV is the owner and pitmaster behind critically acclaimed TRUTH BBQ. Botello started TRUTH BBQ in Brenham, TX, from a small shack off a rural highway that runs between Austin and Houston in the summer of 2015. Armed with a used Klose pit as a complete unknown in the barbecue world, Leonard surprised the industry in 2017 when TRUTH BBQ was awarded the #10 spot on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list and was recently ranked #3 in 2021. An expert in the art of live fire cooking, Leonard is known for his authentic Central Texas-style barbecue.
Burt Bakman
It began deep in the heart of Texas, where Burt Bakman, an Israeli immigrant, found his calling to be a pitmaster. A quick business trip to the Lone Star State turned into a chance exploration of barbecue at its source, fostering a lifelong obsession in him to perfect the craft. As the mastermind behind Trudy’s Underground Barbecue in Los Angeles, Bakman built a reputation from his skill at the smoker and an obsessive Instagram following among LA’s notoriously fickle foodies. From the small backyard of his home in the San Fernando Valley, “The Brisket King” has been quietly serving up smoked brisket, hot links and other barbecue essentials to diners who have no qualms calling his SLAB BBQ meats the finest that Southern California has to offer.